Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a online directory to list law firms on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society conveyancing panel for example in South Kensington?

We are not aware of any plans on the part of the BSA to promote such a search facility.

I am buying a 3 bedroom semi in South Kensington. The intention is to convert the garage to a playroom at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve checks to determine if these works are permitted?

Your property lawyer will review the registered title as conveyancing in South Kensington will on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain alterations or necessitated the permission of a 3rd party. Many extensions call for local authority planning consent and approval in accordance building regulations. Some locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

Can you point me to a directory of Barclays panel solicitors in South Kensington on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association sites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings open the public over the internet. If you are in need of a South Kensington property lawyer on the Barclays please make the most of our facility.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in South Kensington. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business premises in South Kensington and how can your lawyers assist?

The particular law that you refer to provides a safeguard to commercial leaseholders, giving them the a statutory right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease reaches an end. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. South Kensington is one of our hundreds of areas of the UK in which our lawyers are located

I have been sourcing a conveyancing practitioner in South Kensington for my remortgage. Is there any facility to check a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Anyone can find presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations started on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors history, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may recorded call for training purposes.

Helen (my wife) and I may need to let out our South Kensington 1st floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We instructed a South Kensington conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

A lease dictates the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; in particular, it will indicate if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in South Kensington do not contain strict prohibition on subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the sublease.

After months of dialogue we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in South Kensington. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

in cases where there is a missing landlord or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to arrive at the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a South Kensington property is Flat 16 21/22 Stanhope Gardens in November 2010. the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal concluded that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, was £106,975 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 51.93 years.